Mark Aurelius was born in Rome as a heir to a patriotic family from the Spanish city of Ukubi. His family is of Spanish origin and consuls of his predecessors - Annie Vert Senior. His relatives have a great pottery production on the outskirts of Rome. Mark Aurelius is the son of the preacher Mark Anier Vere and daughter of Public Calvizius Toul Ruzon and Dominique Lucila Srrsa, a relative of Emperor Adrian. Grandson is the father of Mark Annie Wer (three times Consul) and Rupil Faustina. Brother is on the One Corruption Faustina. His father's sister, Faustina Stara, is the wife of the Roman emperor, Antonin Pie and the mother of Faustina Jessica, who becomes wife of Mark Aurelius. He enjoys the grace of Emperor Adrian, who early finds his future abilities, personally takes care of his upbringing and prepares him to take the highest post in the state. According to Aurelius Viktor's writings, the future Emperor was so calm that neither joy nor grief sprang up on his face and lead an ascetic existence, despite his unstable health that lasted throughout his life.
As Aurelius is still young, Adrian announces Eli Caesar as a successor to the government, which is scheduled to later be put into the hands of Mark Aurelius. Ellie, however, dies too soon. In 138, Adrian, only a few months left, chose to be heir Antonin Pij, but with the condition that he would immediately adopt the minors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Cecioni Comodus (the son of Eli Caesar) as successors to the throne. After their adoption, their names were changed to Mark Ellie Aurelius Ver and Lucius Ellie Aurelius Comod. During the reign of Antonin Pius (138-161), Mark Aurelius has been an official heir to heir for 23 years. In 145, Mark Aurelius became the son-in-law of Emperor Antonin Pij after marrying her first cousin on the maternal line, Faustina Young, the daughter of Antonin Pius and Pastura Old. She gives birth to 13 children, most of whom die early. For the life of Mark Aurelius in this period until his ascension in 161 is practically not much known. He dedicates much of his time to his education and enters the intellectual circles of the most prominent philosophers and speakers of that time. His teachers are the famous rhythms Fronton and Herod Attic. About 146-147 he stopped dealing with rhetoric and accepted the teachings of Epictet, becoming a convinced stoker.
After the death of Antonin Pius in 161, Mark Aurelius was proclaimed Emperor. He immediately asks the Senate to be granted equal to his rights to Lucius Comodus (he is also known as Emperor Lucius Ver). This is the first case of a joint principle in the Roman Empire. In order to strengthen the relationship between the emperors, Mark Aurelius' daughter - Ania Lucila is engaged to Lucius Comodus. Virtually all of Marcus Aurelius' government, which, by nature, is inclined to wage war, is subject to the prevention of military conflicts - since the nineteen years he has been running, only four have gone to peace. At first, the empire was threatened with riots in Northern Britain (161) and an attack on the German tribes on the Rhine in Upper Germany (162). When the peace of the West was restored, troops of the Kingdom Party conquered Armenia and defeated two Roman armies in Syria and Cappadocia. There were sent legions headed by co-operative Lucius Comod Vert. Under the command of the two captains of the army, Avdiy Cassius and Stacius Prism Armenia, was captured by the Parthians (163-164), the enemy capital Ktesifon was captured, and Mesopotamia was plundered. But an infestation spreads among the troops, which causes the Romans to abandon conquests and retreat in 166.
With the return of the victorious troops, a deadly disease has been brought to the empire, the epidemic of which causes terrible devastation among the population. In 167, the epidemic reached Rome, where it consumes 2,000 lives a day or nearly a quarter of the city's inhabitants. Other disasters follow: poor harvest and mass starvation, floods, earthquakes. There is a period of economic hardship and financial crisis, which is why the silver content of the coins is reduced. At this time, barbarian peoples began large-scale attacks on the northern boundaries of the Empire. The Roman lands along the Danube and the Rhine are most affected by the invasion of hats, marketers, langobardi, yazigi and others. In 167 the Quad and Marcoman tribes entered the Alpine provinces and managed to infiltrate even in northern Italy, but were eventually expelled after heavy fighting (168). The critical situation and the lack of military force forced the Romans to recruit among gladiators and former slaves. The provinces of Thrace, Macedonia and Achaea, who were attacked in 170-1.
